What eboard does

特定非営利活動法人 eboard (Specified Nonprofit Corporation eboard) is a Japan-based nonprofit educational technology organization established in December 2013 and headquartered in Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture. It operates the ICT教材eboard platform — a browser-based learning system that delivers short video lessons (5–10 minutes) paired with digital drills covering elementary through high school subjects aligned to the Japanese curriculum. The platform is built to be device-agnostic and accessible, with notable technical components including Plain Japanese captioning (やさしい字幕) applied across all ~2,000 video lessons, furigana annotations on drill problems, downloadable Easy Math PDFs (やさしい算数) for foreign-connected learners, and an AI-powered Plain Japanese Conversion Tool (やさしい日本語化ツール) for real-time text simplification and translation. eboard's GTM is product-led and bifurcated: free access is provided to public schools, NPOs, and individual households, while a recurring monthly subscription (minimum 6-month contract) is sold to private learning centers and private schools. A separate paid training program, eDojo (イー道場) at 4,980 yen/month, serves staff at truancy-support and free schools. The organization employs 11–50 staff (over 60% women, over 80% raising children) and is supplemented by 1,000+ volunteers and university interns, with funding drawn from corporate sponsorships (Salesforce Japan, NTT Communications, Citi, BNP Paribas, Daiwa, SMBC Nikko, Cisco, Itochu, and others), grants (e.g., Benesse Children's Fund), and individual monthly donations tiered from 500 to 10,000 yen. By 2023, the platform was in use at over 10,000 public schools and 2,000+ locations, reaching an estimated 200,000–300,000 monthly users.

Name

eboard

Legal name

特定非営利活動法人eboard

Website

https://info.eboard.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

eboard is a Japanese nonprofit that operates a free, browser-based ICT learning platform — video lessons and digital drills for K–12 — used at over 10,000 public schools and 2,000+ locations to support children facing truancy, disability, or language barriers, with paid subscriptions and training sold to private learning centers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

E-Learning / Educational Technology Platform

NAICS

Educational Services (61), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Core Digital Curriculum & Courseware (Full Programs & Units) (EDAFACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Curriculum, Lesson Planning & Instructional Content Platforms (EDAJAMAD), Literacy Foundations (Phonics, Reading Fluency, Comprehension) Platforms (EDAFAOAD), Integrated Tutoring + Learning Content Platforms (Curriculum + Tutors) (EDANAGAL)

Keywords

• ICT educational platform
• Video lesson software
• Digital drill exercises
• Accessibility learning materials
• Inclusive education technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Ashiya

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Free Access for Public Sector: Free access for public schools, NPOs, and households. Funded through donations and corporate sponsorships.
2. Paid Subscription for Private Sector: Monthly subscription model for private learning centers and private schools. Minimum 6-month contract required. Billed monthly via bank transfer or credit card.
3. eDojo Training Program: Monthly subscription at 4,980 yen for training program targeting support organization staff. Includes e-learning videos under 8 minutes plus group work components.
4. Donations (Monthly Supporters): Monthly donation program with tiers: 500 yen, 1,000 yen, 3,000 yen, 5,000 yen, 10,000 yen per month. One-time donations also accepted.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

eboard develops and operates a browser-based ICT educational platform that combines short video lessons (5–10 minutes) with paired digital drill exercises covering elementary through high school subjects aligned with the Japanese curriculum. The platform is provided free to households, public schools, and NPOs, and under a paid monthly subscription (minimum 6-month contract) for private learning centers and private schools. Complementary offerings include the eDojo staff training program for truancy support organizations, accessibility features (Easy Subtitles, furigana annotations, AI-powered Plain Japanese conversion), and downloadable Easy Math Materials.

Product overview

NPO法人eboard operates a portfolio of educational technology products centered on the ICT教材eboard platform — a web-based learning tool combining video lessons (映像授業) and digital drills (デジタルドリル) available for free to households and public schools. The core platform is supplemented by the eDojo（イー道場）training program for educators supporting truant children, the やさしい字幕 accessibility subtitle feature across all video content, the やさしい算数・やさしい数学 downloadable PDF materials for foreign-connected students, and the AI-powered やさしい日本語化ツール for Japanese language conversion and translation. Together, these products form an inclusive learning ecosystem designed to ensure no child abandons education regardless of disability, language barrier, or socioeconomic circumstance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ICT教材eboard (ICT Teaching Material eboard) Web-based ICT teaching platform providing video lessons (5–10 minutes each) and paired digital drills for elementary, junior high, and high school subjects aligned with the Japanese curriculum. Free for households, public schools, and NPOs; flat-rate monthly subscription (minimum 6-month contract) for private learning centers and private schools. Accessible from any device with internet connection.
• eDojo (イー道場) Monthly subscription training program (4,980 yen per month) for staff at schools and organizations supporting truant and marginalized children. Combines short e-learning videos (under 8 minutes) with group work sessions covering child psychology, special needs education, and organizational management.
• Easy Subtitles (やさしい字幕 / Yasashii Jimaku) Accessibility-friendly subtitle feature added to all eboard video lessons. Subtitles are edited using Plain Japanese principles with adjusted display volume, simplified vocabulary and sentence structure, and grade/subject-specific display formatting. Designed for deaf/HoH children, foreign-connected children, and learners with reading or comprehension difficulties.
• Easy Math / Easy Mathematics Materials (やさしい算数・やさしい数学) Free downloadable PDF teaching materials covering elementary 5th grade through middle school 3rd grade math, designed for foreign-connected children. Uses minimal everyday-Japanese vocabulary, visual diagrams, and language-independent skills so concepts can be understood without strong Japanese reading ability.
• Plain Japanese Conversion Tool (やさしい日本語化ツール) AI-powered tool that converts text into Plain Japanese with optional ruby/furigana display, and provides real-time translation. Supports copy-paste conversion, camera-based image text reading, and real-time voice translation displayed on tablets or screens. Built using generative AI.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 10,000 schools and 2,000+ locations nationwide using eboard
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Salesforce Japan (株式会社セールスフォース・ドットコム)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2020Provides technology infrastructure including cloud services. Employees volunteer for Easy Subtitles project. Funded initial development and demonstration projects. Part of Salesforce's 1-1-1 model (1% time, 1% equity, 1% product for non-profits).
• NTT Communications (NTTコミュニケーションズ)coreTechnology or IntegrationProvides education cloud platform services. Partnered during demonstration projects for 1:1 device environments. Contributed to development of education cloud infrastructure.
• CodeTact (株式会社コードタクト)coreTechnology or IntegrationProvides SchoolTact classroom management platform. Integration with eboard content. Collaborative development during government pilot programs. Joint participation in education cloud platform initiatives.
• YSC Global School (NPO法人はぐくみ育ち的能量研究所)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Easy Subtitles verification and improvement. Provided expertise on supporting foreign-connected children. Contributed to development of appropriate subtitle content.
• Citigroup (シティグループ)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting Easy Subtitles volunteer project. Employee volunteers participated in subtitle creation.
• BNP Paribas (BNPパリバ・グループ)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor for Easy Subtitles project. Employee volunteers contributed to subtitle creation.
• Classi (Classi株式会社)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting Easy Subtitles volunteer project.
• Asurion (アシュリオン)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor listed on website banner.
• Daiwa Securities Group (大和証券グループ)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor for Easy Subtitles project.
• SMBC Nikko Securities (SMBC日興証券)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor for Easy Subtitles project.
• Itochu Corporation (伊藤忠商事)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor for Easy Subtitles project.
• Cisco Japan (シスコシステムズ)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor for Easy Subtitles project.
• Kinryu Japan (キンドリルジャパン)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor for Easy Subtitles project.
• LoiLo (株式会社LoiLo)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor. Develops educational software.
• Freeschool Network Japan (フリースクール全国ネットワーク)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on eDojo organizational management curriculum development.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• StudySapuri (スタディサプリ): StudySapuri (by Recruit) provides video lessons and digital drills for elementary through high school students in Japan, with a freemium and paid subscription model. Closely overlaps with eboard on product format, content coverage, and B2C/B2B distribution.
• すらら (Surala): Surala is a Japanese adaptive-learning platform offering digital drills and video lessons for K-12 students, including learners with truancy or learning difficulties. Directly comparable to eboard's core ICT教材 offering and customer segments.
• Atama Plus (アタマプラス): Atama Plus is a venture-backed AI-driven adaptive learning platform used primarily in Japanese tutoring schools (juku). Directly comparable to eboard on digital-drill format and private-school distribution.

Emerging players

• Khan Academy: Khan Academy is a global nonprofit offering free video lessons and practice exercises across K-12 subjects. Closely comparable to eboard's free, video-driven, mission-aligned EdTech model and accessibility/translation approach.
• CodeTact / SchoolTact: CodeTact develops SchoolTact, a Japanese K-12 LMS and classroom-management platform with eboard content integration. A listed core partner and a partial competitor in the Japanese school-platform category.
• manalink / カタグルマ: manalink is a Japanese EdTech startup building content and community platforms for truant and at-risk youth, similar to eboard's truancy-support segment. Emerging player with overlapping mission and target users.
• LoiLo: LoiLo is a Japanese EdTech company providing video-creation and interactive learning tools for K-12 classrooms. Listed as a gold sponsor of eboard and an adjacent competitor in the classroom video and engagement category.

Broad incumbents

• Benesse Corporation (進研ゼミ): Benesse is a major Japanese educational publisher and EdTech incumbent offering correspondence courses, digital learning, and Shinkenzemi for K-12. A broad incumbent competing across content, distribution, and brand in the same Japanese education market.
• Classi: Classi is a leading Japanese K-12 learning platform combining LMS, video content, and communication tools, used widely in public and private high schools. A listed eboard corporate sponsor and adjacent competitor in the school-distribution channel.
• Z-Kai (Z会): Z-Kai is a long-standing Japanese correspondence and digital education provider for K-12 and exam preparation. Competes in the same video-lesson / digital-content category and is a comparable paid private-sector offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/eboard_jp
• Facebookfacebook.com/eboard.jp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about eboard